xehumph
New Member
Our Harden diverter does not divert. The handle just unloosens the splined stem when turned counter-clockwise and the handle and splined inner shaft screws all the way out of the valve. I found a previous post here from 2012 about how to remove the entire cartridge. In that post, there is a mention that the stem is stuck in place and will not turn. There's a mention that this splined shaft is normally epoxied into it's threaded location in the cartridge. That post notes that it's probably red epoxy.
My problem is different in that the splined shaft DOES turn but it isn't turning the cartridge to change the diverter position from tub to shower. Instead, I assume the epoxy must have broken loose and the shaft just unscrews when turned counter-clockwise. My question is:
Before doing anything else like trying to remove the entire valve/cartridge, should I first try to re-epoxy the splined shaft back into its mating threads? I can do this without removing anything else. I'm thinking of using red thread locker like maybe red JB weld. I think I'd just coat the threaded part of the shaft with the epoxy and screw it back in and then wait a day before trying to turn it counter clockwise. I'm hoping that even if the valve is stiff, with the epoxy replaced, maybe the valve will turn to divert from tub to shower.
I think the worst that could happen is that the epoxy might again break loose because the valve may be too tightly stuck. In that case, I'll have to do plan B and try to remove the entire cartridge using the 2012 post as a guide. The best would be that I get the valve to operate and maybe I can free it up enough that it won't re-break the epoxy bond when turning it.
My guess is that what occurred is that when our kids lived here they always used the shower, never the tub. Years ago they moved out. Maybe sometime later someone, maybe my wife, tried to move the diverter from shower to tub (counter-clockwise) and the epoxy bond broke because the valve had not been used for years. We have now just recently discovered that it doesn't work because no one has used that tub/shower for years.
Any comments? Should I try re-epoxying?
My problem is different in that the splined shaft DOES turn but it isn't turning the cartridge to change the diverter position from tub to shower. Instead, I assume the epoxy must have broken loose and the shaft just unscrews when turned counter-clockwise. My question is:
Before doing anything else like trying to remove the entire valve/cartridge, should I first try to re-epoxy the splined shaft back into its mating threads? I can do this without removing anything else. I'm thinking of using red thread locker like maybe red JB weld. I think I'd just coat the threaded part of the shaft with the epoxy and screw it back in and then wait a day before trying to turn it counter clockwise. I'm hoping that even if the valve is stiff, with the epoxy replaced, maybe the valve will turn to divert from tub to shower.
I think the worst that could happen is that the epoxy might again break loose because the valve may be too tightly stuck. In that case, I'll have to do plan B and try to remove the entire cartridge using the 2012 post as a guide. The best would be that I get the valve to operate and maybe I can free it up enough that it won't re-break the epoxy bond when turning it.
My guess is that what occurred is that when our kids lived here they always used the shower, never the tub. Years ago they moved out. Maybe sometime later someone, maybe my wife, tried to move the diverter from shower to tub (counter-clockwise) and the epoxy bond broke because the valve had not been used for years. We have now just recently discovered that it doesn't work because no one has used that tub/shower for years.
Any comments? Should I try re-epoxying?